Fallen soldier Sterling Wyatt's family to appear on 'Anderson Live'

The family of Army Spc. Sterling Wyatt, who died in Afghanistan last summer, was headed to New York Thursday to be featured on an upcoming episode of Anderson Cooper's daily talk show.

The Wyatts will appear on "Anderson Live" alongside Libby Phelps Alvarez, a former member of the Westboro Baptist group known for protesting at military funerals. When Westboro made plans to protest outside Sterling Wyatt's funeral in July, the community formed a "red wall" in response — thousands of red-shirt-clad supporters who showed up to shield the family from the group.

"What we are going to talk about is the community support, the love and patriotism from our community, surrounding communities, surrounding states and even the world," mom Sherry Wyatt said of her family's TV appearance.

Wyatt estimated between 7,000 and 10,000 people showed up that day to protect the family from "those who disrespect and try to disrupt funeral services."

"I think our greatest message is just really out of such a horrible loss to know that we could be surrounded by such love and support. This town just blew us away," she said.

People from all over the world asked that their names be added to a big white sheet to be held up so they could be part of the wall in name and spirit, Wyatt said. "That's the message my husband and I want to get out," she said.

Wyatt's husband, Randy, and 15-year-old son Chandler also will appear on the show.

"It's part of our grieving process. We're still only a little under six months into this," she said. "And if we can help somebody else … there are other moms, dads and brothers and sisters out there grieving right along with us."

As a family, she said, they will never forget the community support, and she said she hopes their TV appearance might spur other communities to come together under similar circumstances.

The Wyatts also will have the chance to talk to Alvarez, the granddaughter of Westboro founder Fred Phelps. She left the group a few years ago and is forbidden from talking with family members who are still affiliated with it, her official Facebook page said.

Wyatt said her main question for Alvarez is simply, "Why?"

"Why would they protest a soldier's funeral?" Wyatt asked. "Why would they, when the church is supposed to be inclusive and filled with love and support, why would they do something very opposite of what I know to be church teaching?"

She said she also would like to ask Alvarez what triggered her to leave the church she was raised in. Wyatt said the show's producers asked whether she had any anger toward Alvarez, and she said she did not. "She left the church almost three years ago. She was not at my son's funeral," she said.

The segment being taped tomorrow will appear on an episode at 11 a.m. Feb. 13 on KMIZ, said Jessica Fielder, a show representative.

This article was published in the Thursday, January 31, 2013 edition of the Columbia Daily Tribune with the headline "Show to feature soldier’s family: Wyatts to gues on 'Anderson.'"